Global Risk Round Up from 9th November - 15th November 2016

The 22nd Conference of the Parties, a UN-organized international conference on climate change, will be held in Marrakesh Nov. 7-18. Increased security measures will be introduced to help protect the many foreign heads of state, VIPs, and other conference attendees. Thousands of gendarmes and police will deploy throughout the city. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers will also be present at Marrakesh Menara Airport (RAK) and tourist sites to supplement local law enforcement. Most security-related disruptions will occur in the Bab Ighli area of the city, where the conference venue is located.

Environmental and social activist groups have announced plans to rally at Stade El Harti (El Harti Stadium) at 1400 Nov. 13, and additional gatherings and marches related to the climate conference can be expected. However, demonstrations will likely remain peaceful, and marches will probably be restricted and/or closely monitored.

Traffic and transport disruptions can be expected if authorities close streets to facilitate motorcade movements or prevent activists from reaching the conference facility.

NetherlandsDue to planned maintenance work, Thalys trains will not be serving Amsterdam Schiphol Airport during the weekend of 12 and 13 November. Passengers wishing to travel to the airport can utilise Thalys services to Amsterdam Central Station and transfer to local rail or metro connections to Schiphol Airport.

TurkeyHundreds of anti-government demonstrators gathered near Sisli Mosque in Istanbul on Saturday 5 November causing localised disruption. Further protests are likely over the coming days in the city and in the capital, Ankara, despite a ban on all public gatherings remaining in force in Ankara until the end of November. The protests relate to the recent arrests of Cumhuriyet News Agency employees and Kurdish Opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) members. Travellers should be prepared for further disruption.

ArgentinaA nationwide strike is taking place on Wednesday 2 November led by members of the public sector union, Asociación de Trabajadores del Estado (ATE). Travellers in Buenos Aires and Santa Cruz are advised to check local media sources for times and location of expected rallies; roads may be blocked so please advise your clients to allow extra time to reach their destination. Related Traveller Reports have been sent to Ops.